Guide to Panama

Guide Contents

SAN LORENZO FORT
San Lorenzo National Park, Colon. An ancient fort on the Caribbean coast, close to the entrance to the Panama Canal, on an isolated windswept promontory over the azure sea. These incredible ruins comprise the first World Monuments site designated for Latin America. The Canal Commission and San Lorenzo ruins are both government properties.

ARCHIPELAGO DE LAS PERLAS
These are Panama's most idyllic islands, with white sandy beaches, turquoise sea and swaying palms - blissful. For more information, go to the ANAM office on Taboga island (00 507 250 2082).

ISLAS TABOGAS
The most easily accessible island from Panama, which as well as being very beautiful, is rich in Indian and pirate history.

PANAMA CITY

BUILDINGS AND MONUMENTS
Crazy mid-century architecture abounds in Panama, and some of the best can be seen in the residential districts of Panama City. In contrast, Casco Viejo, the old town, is a warren of colonial buildings, as yet widely unreclaimed and similar to the French Quarter of New Orleans before gentrification. Some restoration has taken place, notably the houses close to the water (Casco Viejo becomes a peninsula that stretches out into the Pacific bay) and the turn-of-the-century Opera House (Teatro Nacional: 00 507 262 3584). This small gem seats only 800 in total, including the seats in the stacks of ornate boxes mounting up its height. Note the ceiling, a fantastic fresco of angels and muses.

PANAMA DE VIEJA
Just outside Panama City, visit the ruins of Panamá de Vieja - the first European settlement along the Pacific founded in 1519.

Parque Nacional Soberanía (00 507 276 6370). This national park is within easy distance of Panama City (a 75-minute trip). In the middle is the Rainforest Canopy Tower (see Where to Stay); a small, singular eco-inn fashioned from an abandoned radar tower at the top of a mountain. Birdwatch from the outdoor deck high up, amid the rainforest canopy, and look out at the 360º view over the land and towards the Panama Canal. Or simply swing in a hammock and listen to the howling monkeys and the singing birds.

THE PANAMA CANAL
Also well worth a visit. The Causeway, which lies at the Pacific entrance to the Canal and connects the city to four small adjoining islands, can be explored on foot, bicycle or by car. The Panama Canal Commission headquarters is one of the grandest and most beautiful buildings in the country. It sits atop a hill overlooking the Canal, very close to Gamboa, a rainforest enclave where American military colonels' homes were built. Visit its rotunda for the cycle of murals depicting the drama of the Canal's construction, painted by artists in the 1930s. Argo Tours (00 507 228 6069) is the main Canal tour operator.

ISLA BARRO RESERVE
The Isla Barro Colorado is a world-renowned biological reserve, which lies in the middle of the Panama Canal. Tourist access is limited and it is necessary to book well in advance by contacting the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute on 00 507 212 8951 or www.stri.org.

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NAVEEN NEGI03 Jan 2013

Why isn't a visit to the San Blas Islands not mentioned here? I think this is one of the top spots to visit in Panama! Check out thes awesome beaches and tropical islands of San Blas on http://sanblas-islands.com